Fellowship

A pediatric neuroimmunology/autoimmune diseases of the CNS fellowship at WUSM/SLCH will provide training in pediatric MS and other demyelinating diseases, as well the autoimmune diseases of the CNS. In addition to clinical experience, we will encourage our fellow to gain expertise in the science and pathophysiology of diagnosis and management of those disease conditions, which represent the spectrum of this novel and underserved neurologic subspecialty. The fellow will gain experience in multicenter research and clinical trials in pediatric neuroimmunology. The fellow will have high exposure and expertise in multiple neuroimmunological diseases and integrating other relevant services such as adult neuroimmunology, pediatric neuro-rheumatological, as well as neuroinfectious diseases.

The Pediatric Neuroimmunology Section of the Department of Neurology at Washington University actively cares for pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis, as well as other patients with related diseases including ADEM, MOG, optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, NMO, CNS vasculitides, Opsoclonus Myoclonus Ataxia syndrome, immune mediated epilepsy syndromes, as well as genetic syndromes associated with immune disorders.

Duration of fellowship: One year

General description

Neuroimmunology is a relative new field, and we currently have two neuroimmunology specialist providers at SLCH. We are one of only twelve institutions recognized nationally as Pediatric MS Centers of Excellence which form the US Network of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Centers, funded by National Multiple Sclerosis Society for multicenter research studies. We are also affiliated with Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance. We work very closely with our four excellent and nationally recognized adult neuroimmunologists at Washington University, meet regularly and collaborate on patient care of children and young adults, ensuring a smooth transition of the care for children and young adults into the adult world. Neuroimmunology fellows will have exposure to rheumatological disease affecting neurology as well as peripheral nervous system neuroimmunology. Our section provides inpatient consults in both the floor and ICU settings, sees patients routinely in outpatient clinic and has multiple active and collaborative research projects resulting in regular publications.

Our fellowship curriculum is flexible and can be adapted to the trainee’s prior experience and long-term goals. However, fellows will be expected to spend at least 50% of their time in clinical work; Including one to two days per week in the Pediatric Neuroimmunology clinic and seeing, on average, one to three inpatient consults weekly. The fellow will spend, an additional half day to one day per week with other subspecialties (adult MS, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neuro-ophthalmology, pediatric rheumatology, pediatric infectious diseases or other electives).

The remainder of the time will be divided among didactic training, the seminal paper discussion, the MS and neuroimmunology clinical care meetings, the journal clubs, research and clinical trial involvement and formalized patient care meetings which occur on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Our fellows will be encouraged to take courses at the Clinical Research Training Center at WUSM to further enhance their training.

For fellowship application, please email Soe Mar, MD, MBBS, MRCP, (mars@wustl.edu) and Stuart Tomko, MD (s.tomko@wustl.edu).